Boy’s Life by Robert R McCammon

Boy’s Life is a coming-of-age story, published in 2014 by Simon & Schuster Audio, narrated by George Newbern, and about 20 hours of listening.

Plot: Cory, an 11-year-old boy, grows up in an idyllic Alabama town in the 1960s. KKK, segregation, and youthful innocence is mingled and conveyed through the eyes of a boy, his circle of friends, his parents, and the community. From shore, Cory witnesses his father jump into a lake to rescue a driver from a sinking car. The man is tied to the steering wheel, throat slashed, and the vehicle slides hundreds of feet to the muddy bottom. Cory’s father has typical PTSD and struggles with what he has seen.

Liked: Length, 20 hours; like ‘m long. Colorful characters sprinkle the pages. The narration is excellent, male/female/children/blacks, all nicely done. Unique voices for many incidental characters. The ethereal nature of some elements made the story mystical and thought-provoking.

Not so hot: About 1/3 of the book consists of stories about Cory’s adventures – entirely disconnected from the central murder mystery – simple tales of a boy’s mischief and growing-up in that time and place. In my opinion, short stories within the novel that could be a coming-of-age anthology. No doubt, many readers will enjoy this; for me, it was fill. POV is problematic, but hey, story trumps all.

Good murder mystery. You may determine who the bad guy is early on, but motive will keep you guessing until the final chapters. No sex, no offensive language.

Recommended.